EBF Moms.. How much can you pump

jjmz1127 · May 2014

I'm worried that I'm not producing enough milk these days. Ever since LO was 10 weeks old she hasn't taken a bottle. Since I'm a SAHM it hasn't been that big of a deal & I haven't pumped. Well... I need to work this summer & really need her to start taking a bottle again (this on it's own is a huge struggle!). When I pump I'm lucky to get 2oz total (pumping both sides). Usually I only get a half an ounce per side. My SIL gets 4-5oz every time she pumps (per side). DD is petite but doesn't act like she's starving...

Is this typical in the beginning? If I keep pumping will my supply increase?

blue_elle · May 2014

Is this pumping in addition to exclusive BFing, or is this pumping in place of a feeding?

If addition to BF that's totally normal. Your body produces what your baby drinks. Any extra is technically an oversupply. Pump at the same time each day and it will tell your body you need a feeding then.

km_md · May 2014

In order to pump for my stash, I can only get substantial amounts if I pump first thing in the morning when I'm engorged, and I only pump out a few ounces. DD is EBF, so I haven't tried pumping to replace a feeding. Also, because I am at home and EBF, I don't have a good, expensive pump so I am sure that I could be getting more if I had a better one.

I don't have personal experience (other than pumping in the morning) with increasing supply, but there are ladies who have done it with success, so it might be possible for you.

CopperT0p · May 2014

Like @blue_elle said if you are getting 1/2oz per side just after a feeding that is normal. If that is pumping in place of a feeding it is a bit low. If I pump in place of a feeding I get about 2oz per side. LO is growing well. If I am really engorged I might get 4-5oz a side.

Some women don't respond well to the pump. It took me a while with DS1 to find a mental place during pumping that would help me have multiple let downs and pump as much as possible. Some pumps also suck (as in aren't good at sucking) so it could be that.

So long as LO is gaining weight then there usually isn't anything to worry about. If you are worried, most pedi's will let you come in for a weight check without a full on visit, at least mine does.

jjmz1127 · May 2014

It's in addition to EBF. In June & July I will have to work on Saturdays & will be away from her all day. So right now I'm trying to build a stash & trying to find a bottle she will take.

Thanks for the suggestion! I will do a first thing pump in the morning

BABYROSEJEANS17 · May 2014

rgoblue said:

I pump 3x a day at work and get between 14-16 oz total. My first pump is always the best, and I think it's because I eat oatmeal for breakfast. My first pump yields 6-7 oz then it's about 3-4 oz each pump after that. At home when I pump in place of a feeding I usually get between 3-4 oz as well. Drink lots of water, relax and do breast compressions when pumping, and experiment with the pump to get a 2nd letdown. This usually gets me another 1-2 oz total each pump which is great. It takes a while for me to get it, though, and I do the "happy birthday" trick to help speed it along!

This! I'm all about breast compressions.

somewierd_person · May 2014

I pump in place of feedings at work and usually get 6 to 8 oz, then 4+ oz each for the next two sessions. I am trying but inconsistent in pumping before I go to bed but a few hours after lo does which yields me roughly 4 oz but sometimes more. It took a while to get up to 4, I would only get 2 to start. I am also experimenting with an am session, as lo still wakes to eat once during motn/early am. He usually wakes to eat between 3 and 4 and I try to pump again at 530 right before I run out the door to work. I do eat oatmeal regularly and drink lots of water, it's much harder to pump dehydrated.
All that to say that he is 50/50 with feedings from bottle/breast, and I am pumping 20 to 25 oz a day which he eats all of 95% off the time.

blue_elle · May 2014

jjmz1127 said:

It's in addition to EBF. In June & July I will have to work on Saturdays & will be away from her all day. So right now I'm trying to build a stash & trying to find a bottle she will take. Thanks for the suggestion! I will do a first thing pump in the morning

Yep, normal. A lot of women throw that extra pump in in the morning, but I have a greedy baby that pretty much sucks me dry and I'm always busy after the first feed anyway. I don't get around to it until my first pump at work, which is replacing a feed.

Anyway, I pump before bed, a couple hours after LO goes down. At first I got 1.5-2 oz, but now I usually get 3-4.

It's nice to have extra, but you really only need enough stashed away for that first day. Then while you're gone you'll pump to replace each feed your missing and use that for the next day. I will add the caveat that you need to be used to the pump by then as it can be difficult initially to let down for the pump when you aren't used to it. Like PP said, play with the settings on an electric, or experiment with speed and pressure on a manual. It helped me initially to watch videos of my LO, especially videos of him crying

MrsW062610 · May 2014

I pump 3 times a day at work and get anywhere from 2-6 oz total each session. If I pump first thing in the morning (let LO eat from one side and then pump the other after), I get 4 oz on just that side.

I wasn't pumping enough milk for the next day with just the 3 pumping sessions at work. So I had to add in pumping one side every morning (before I was just doing it occassionally) and pumping before bed. The first time I pumped before bed I got 1/2 oz total.

Here are some things I tried to up my supply...

Eating oatmeal for breakfast every morning, LOTS of water, and just keep pumping. It takes your body a few days to get the signal to make more. So I pumped every night for 15-20 min and now I can get 2-4 oz total at night instead of the 1/2 oz I was getting before. Also, try to relax as much as possible. I play games on my iPad at my night session cause I'm usually stressed and very tired so I try to rush it, which doesn't help your supply.

As far as taking bottles...my LO hated bottles during my maternity leave when I would try giving them to her (even if DH gave it). 3 days of little milk at daycare, she finally started taking them. Dr. Browns & Tommy Tippee are pretty popular with babies that refuse milk. we use the Playtex Airvent with the green nipples the pedi gave us at our first appointment. Although, now she'll pretty much take any bottle or nipple.

good luck and hang in there!!

bensmommy518 · May 2014

I pump twice at work and average about 12oz per day but have gotten as much as 17oz in a day. I also BF at lunch. My first pump is always best with usually about 7-8oz at that pump. I am usually on the bump while pumping (like now) and always make sure I eat and drink while pumping - water intake is key to me for keeping up supply.

I have been dealing with oversupply pretty much since she was born but it helps a bit now that I am back at work. She only eats about 6oz in daycare and I consistently pump way more than that so I have quite the stash. I am hoping to use this stash as my supply dwindles ( was dry by 11 months with DS) or to stop pumping at work a little earlier than planned and have the stash to continue without formula.

SarahA918 · May 2014

I EP and have been for seven months and if I get 4oz together in the AM I'm lucky! I also have been dipping I to my freezer stash for the past month, so I'm really no help. Just wanted to let you know that 4-5oz per side per pump is not the norm.

SunflowersBride · May 2014

bensmommy518 said:

I pump twice at work and average about 12oz per day but have gotten as much as 17oz in a day. I also BF at lunch. My first pump is always best with usually about 7-8oz at that pump. I am usually on the bump while pumping (like now) and always make sure I eat and drink while pumping - water intake is key to me for keeping up supply.

I have been dealing with oversupply pretty much since she was born but it helps a bit now that I am back at work. She only eats about 6oz in daycare and I consistently pump way more than that so I have quite the stash. I am hoping to use this stash as my supply dwindles ( was dry by 11 months with DS) or to stop pumping at work a little earlier than planned and have the stash to continue without formula.

This is almost exactly my situation as well. I pump twice a day, usually yielding between 12-14 oz, and DS only eats two 3-4 once bottles while I'm away. He also comes over once a day to nurse. I also have a bit of an oversupply.

But what you are pumping is definitely the norm. Also, your baby may do some reverse cycling and nurse more when you are together and not eat a lot during the day. My DS nurses throughout the night, which really helps to keep my supply up, so we bedshare and it helps me get enough sleep. How many hours will you be gone on Saturdays?

ETA: Remember that what you pump is NOT an indication of what you are producing for the baby! As long as she has enough wet/dirty diapers and seems happy and hitting milestones, there likely is no problem with your supply!

thegosiers · May 2014

I started pumping at home while EBF in order to build up a stash, and now that I'm back at work I'm pumping 3x day. In the beginning I wasn't pumping a whole lot (2.5-3 oz per side) but now I am averaging about 5 each side, each time.

While at home, I would try to pump during his long nap to mimic a feeding. Once he started STTN I would pump around 5am when my boobs were super engorged (but then he started waking up 1x again so I don't do that any more).

Good luck, oatmeal, and water!

ashleywiz · May 2014

SunflowersBride said:

bensmommy518 said:

I pump twice at work and average about 12oz per day but have gotten as much as 17oz in a day. I also BF at lunch. My first pump is always best with usually about 7-8oz at that pump. I am usually on the bump while pumping (like now) and always make sure I eat and drink while pumping - water intake is key to me for keeping up supply.

I have been dealing with oversupply pretty much since she was born but it helps a bit now that I am back at work. She only eats about 6oz in daycare and I consistently pump way more than that so I have quite the stash. I am hoping to use this stash as my supply dwindles ( was dry by 11 months with DS) or to stop pumping at work a little earlier than planned and have the stash to continue without formula.

This is almost exactly my situation as well. I pump twice a day, usually yielding between 12-14 oz, and DS only eats two 3-4 once bottles while I'm away. He also comes over once a day to nurse. I also have a bit of an oversupply.

But what you are pumping is definitely the norm. Also, your baby may do some reverse cycling and nurse more when you are together and not eat a lot during the day. My DS nurses throughout the night, which really helps to keep my supply up, so we bedshare and it helps me get enough sleep. How many hours will you be gone on Saturdays?

ETA: Remember that what you pump is NOT an indication of what you are producing for the baby! As long as she has enough wet/dirty diapers and seems happy and hitting milestones, there likely is no problem with your supply!

DD has taken to only eating maybe one or two 4 oz bottles while I'm gone during the day but eats twice before I leave for work in the AM, and 3x from when I get home to bed, and one MOTN feeding.... so given she is taking 4 ish oz from me each time, I think it's all good. As far as pumping, I used to get 12 oz during the day, now I only get 8-10 pumping twice while at work. I was super worried at first, until DH told me she is "right on schedule" with me and eats almost exactly what I pump during the day (and oddly at almost the same time as I pump, it totally weirded me out at first).

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